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On Easter Sunday, members of the King Island Native Community gathered at King Island Hall in Nome for a celebration of faith and blessings for hunters and providers ahead of the fast-approaching spring hunting season.
“Continue to make our land fruitful,” Father Paul prayed over the crowd as dozens bowed their heads alongside him.
In the coming months, the community’s hunters will venture across the Bering Sea in search of walrus and seals, while others will scour the tundra for greens and berries.
“We'll have a full cycle of fishing, of hunting, of gathering and sharing for the year ahead,” King Island Chief Megan Onders said. “This food that we eat, it's the most nutritional, healthy food on Earth.”
Onders said it's been a while since King Islanders held a gathering to bless its hunters. The village used to occupy a small, rocky island 40 miles offshore of the Seward Peninsula. In 1958, the Bureau of Indian Affairs closed its school, and the community was forced to relocate to the mainland.
Linda Kimoktoak set out to revitalize the community’s traditional blessing this year.
“There's a lot of traditions that we need to keep alive and for future generations, so they could learn how we go about being a King Island person,” she explained. “When you think of our families that have been there for generations, it's very vital that we know where we come from and who our clans are, who we belong to, which families we belong to.”
Through community, faith and tradition, Onders said the community continues to hold a distinct cultural identity, despite living off the island for over half a century.
“There's been a lot of hardship that have been experienced by our community members here, whether it was racism or shame, and that's something our community has intentionally overcome,” Onders said. “When we're doing the things that we are born and raised to do, that's a sign of our strength.”
This spring, Onders said she and other King Islanders are praying for good weather, healthy animals, and the safety of those who nourish the community.
